Turnout strong for La. Saltwater Series tournament

The following is a news release from the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries:

There was plenty of action on Saturday at the Louisiana Saltwater Series Tournament, hosted by the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries (LDWF), at Falgout Canal Marina in Dularge. Participation held strong over the Easter holiday weekend with over 50 individuals taking part in the tournament.

Overall weight determined the grand prize winners, Barnie and Steve White, with a winning total weight of 15.36 pounds that included a 7.9-pound red drum. The duo took home a cash prize of $1,700.

Those who caught the big ones weren't the only winners to come out of this event. The biggest winners were the marine resources that will benefit from the data collected. On Saturday, LDWF was able to tag and release 67 redfish. Over the course of the series, a total of 132 fish have been tagged. By encouraging live tag and release, the series has focused attention on the redfish species and the conservation of all marine resources. Years ago, very little tagging data was available and only a handful of fish were tagged each year.

All tournament proceeds go to the Louisiana Wildlife and Fisheries Foundation and provide funding support for the department's tagging program.

Visit the website at www.lasaltwaterseries.com to learn more about the 2010 Louisiana Saltwater Series, register for upcoming events and to keep up with the standings. The series consists of five tournaments across Louisiana's coast, concluding with a championship event at Delta Marina Boating Center in Empire, La.

The next tournament will be held in Delacroix, La., at Sweetwater Marina on June 12.

Flu season is upon us. But according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, South Carolina, Mississippi and Louisiana are already seeing high levels of flu activity. "Our ER director here at the hospital mentioned to me today that we've seen definitely in the last two weeks an increase in cases," said Christus St. Patrick's Infectious Disease Specialist, Dr. Timothy Haman. "Two to three to four patients a day, and we saw six yesterday." H...More >>

Flu season is upon us. But according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, South Carolina, Mississippi and Louisiana are already seeing high levels of flu activity. "Our ER director here at the hospital mentioned to me today that we've seen definitely in the last two weeks an increase in cases," said Christus St. Patrick's Infectious Disease Specialist, Dr. Timothy Haman. "Two to three to four patients a day, and we saw six yesterday." H...More >>

Sinkholes in the road are an issue all over Lake Charles and a pretty common sight in the Downtown area. Drivers usually have to dodge the cones, especially on Division Street. If you drive down the stretch of Division Street, in between Ryan and Bilbo, you're probably used to avoiding a sinkhole. The most recent one was fixed Tuesday, caused by a cracked drainage line under the street where water seeped out and created a void. “They just go in, cut out a section and pour as...

Sinkholes in the road are an issue all over Lake Charles and a pretty common sight in the Downtown area. Drivers usually have to dodge the cones, especially on Division Street. If you drive down the stretch of Division Street, in between Ryan and Bilbo, you're probably used to avoiding a sinkhole. The most recent one was fixed Tuesday, caused by a cracked drainage line under the street where water seeped out and created a void. “They just go in, cut out a section and pour as...

Like every other state, Louisiana produces more waste in December than any other month. But individually there are things people can do to cut back on the trash they generate. The Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality encourages consumers to be part of the solution by working to have a more waste-free season. Their motto, Think green! Reduce, reuse and recycle. Imagine all the wrapping paper that goes to the landfill each year. Some alternatives are to wrap a gift in ...

Like every other state, Louisiana produces more waste in December than any other month. But individually there are things people can do to cut back on the trash they generate. The Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality encourages consumers to be part of the solution by working to have a more waste-free season. Their motto, Think green! Reduce, reuse and recycle. Imagine all the wrapping paper that goes to the landfill each year. Some alternatives are to wrap a gift in ...

A car crossed the median on I-10 in Rayne and crashed into a Calcasieu Parish school bus returning from a field trip, according to a report from Lafayette station KATC. Rayne Police Chief Carroll Stelly told KATC that there were five children aboard the bus. All the occupants are believed to be ok but have been transported to an area hospital to be checked out. The driver of the other vehicle was brought to a Lafayette hospital for treatment of moderate injuries. The car was travel...

A car crossed the median on I-10 in Rayne and crashed into a Calcasieu Parish school bus returning from a field trip, according to a report from Lafayette station KATC. Rayne Police Chief Carroll Stelly told KATC that there were five children aboard the bus. All the occupants are believed to be ok but have been transported to an area hospital to be checked out. The driver of the other vehicle was brought to a Lafayette hospital for treatment of moderate injuries. The car was travel...